Fluffing machine for producing webs of various widths

ABSTRACT

A random web forming machine having a lickerin and a condenser designed to produce a web of one width is constructed so as to produce a web of any desired narrower width. The fibers are doffed from the lickerin into a duct, which is of the same width as the lickerin but which delivers the doffed fibers onto an endless foraminous condenser belt that is mounted so that the direction of travel of the belt can be adjusted angularly with reference to the mouth at the discharge end of the duct. Different widths of webs can be produced by varying the direction of travel of the belt with reference to the discharge opening of the duct.

Unite States Patent 1191 McBean FLUFFING MACHINE FOR PRODUCING WEBS OFVARIOUS WIDTHS [75] Inventor: Douglas M. McBean, Pittsford, NY.

[73] Assignee: Surgical Specialties Corporation,

East Rochester, NY.

[22] Filed: May 10, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 141,766

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 12/1926 Schimgk 19/15510/195 Harwood et a1. 19/1563 1451 Aug. 21, 1973 Att0mey-Shlesinger,Fitzsimmons & Shlesinger [57] ABSTRACT A random web forming machinehaving a lickerin and a condenser designed to produce a web of one widthis constructed so as to produce a web of any desired narrower width. Thefibers are doffed from the lickerin into a duct, which is of the samewidth as the lickerin but which delivers the doffed fibers onto anendless foraminous condenser belt that is mounted so that the directionof travel of the belt can be adjusted angularly with reference to themouth at the discharge end of the duct. Different widths of webs can beproduced by varying the direction of travel of the belt with referenceto the discharge opening of the duct.

5 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures Patented Aug. 21, 1973 3,753,271

5 Sheets-Sheet 1 I N VE N TOR. DOUGLAS M. M BEA/V Patented Aug. 21, 19735 Sheets-Sheet 2 Vk wk Armin-0% Patented Aug. 21, 1973 5 Sheets-Shoot 3INVENTOR. DOUGLAS M. M BEAN Patented Aug. 21, 1973 5 Shoots-Sheet 4INVENTOR. DOUGLAS M M BEAN Patented Aug. 21, 1973 5 Shoots-Sheet 5INVENTOR. DOUGLAS M M BEA/V A T TORNE Y! FLUFFllNG MACHINE FOR PRODUCINGWEBS OF VARIOUS WIDTHS The combing of fibers from a wood'pulp mat anddepositing those fibers upon a condenser to form a random fiber web, iswell known. This same art is practiced in forming random fiber webs fromlonger fibers, natural and synthetic. A lickerin rotating at high speedcombs the fibers from a mat; and the fibers are cloffed from thelickerin by centrifugal force and by an air stream flowing tangentiallyto the lickerin. The air stream carries the fibers to a foraminouscondenser on which the fibers are deposited in random fashion.

The capacity of the lickerin to pick up fibers from a base feed mat orroll stock and the ability to encapsulate the same in an air stream, sothat each fiber is individually carried to the web-forming condenser, islimited. The prior art dictates that the width of the lickerin and thewidth of the condenser must be the same. it is common practice,therefore, to base the width of the lickerin on the desired width of theproduct. If the width of the lickerin and the desired width of theproduct do not match, it is customary to make a machine in a multiple ofthe desired width of the web, and slit the web, rewind it, store it andrehandle it in the next step of the process of forming the product. Thisbecomes impractical in the cases of webs made from short fibers such aswood pulp. The integrity and strength of such a web is very poor. Itdoes not lend itself to rewinding and rehandling. industries producingsuch a product need higher fluffing and web-forming capacity than theprior art provides. For this reason it has not been practical heretoforeto make diapers and other narrow width webs from wood pulp stock.

A primary object of this invention is to provide a fluffing and webforming machine where the width of .the lickerin and the width of thecondenser are independent of each other.

Another object of this invention is to provide a machine which will combfibers from wood pulp stock and form the same into a continuous web fora disposable diaper making line.

A further object of this invention is to provide apparatus for forming aweb directly from the fibers combed out of paper pulp stock by alickerin and a condenser that is narrower than the lickerin, withoutslitting or otherwise subdividing the mat, thereby permitting adirect-in-line couple with any other machine that completes theoperation on a continuously operating basis.

Another object of the invention is to provide a machine of the characterdescribed in which the angle of the web forming conveyor can quickly andeasily be changed as desired. A unique feature of this invention is theability. to use a web-forming conveyor of any width in the same basicfluffing machine by pivoting the conveyor to vary the width of the webformed.

Another object of the invention is to provide a machine which willproduce a narrow width web faster than a web can be produced on aconventional web forming machine having the same width lickerin andcondenser.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a method andapparatus for decreasing and/or increasing the width of a fiber web insuch way that the forward velocity of the reduced width is increasedproportionately to the decrease in width of the original web. Thus, itis a purpose of this invention to reduce the width of a 90-inch sourceof fiber, for instance, to a width of 30 inches and increase the forwardvelocity of the condenser by three times, maintaining a constant weightand thickness of web per square yard.

Other objects of the invention will be apparent hereinafter from thespecification and from the recital of the appended claims, particularlywhen read inconjunction with the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of a machine built according to oneembodiment of this invention, parts being broken away and shown insection;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view through the machineon a somewhat larger scale;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially at rightangles to FIG. 1 and on approximately the same scale as FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a horizontal sectional view, with parts broken away, showingthe condenser belt and its mounting, the belt being shown adjusted atone angle to the discharge end of the duct which conducts the fibersfrom the lickerin to the condenser; and

FIG. 5 is a similar sectional view showing the conveyor positioned at adifferent angle to form a wider width web.

Referring now to the drawings by numerals of reference, denotes the baseor frame of the machine. This may be made of fabricated steel withsuitable reinforcements and is generally rectangular in both horizontaland vertical cross section.

The sheet or mat S of raw stock which is to be formed into a randomfiber web, is delivered into the machine between two oppositely rotatingfeed rolls 22 and 24. Feed roller 22 may be mounted on eccentricbearings in the side plates 37 to adjust the nip or pinch clearancebetween the feed rollers 22 and 24. These rolls drive the sheet or matof stock over the rounded nose 25 (FIG. 2) of a block 26 forming part ofa feed plate 27 that is fastened in any suitable manner to a hollowreinforcing bar 28 that is secured on top of the cover plate 29 of apressure plenum or chamber 30 formed on top of the frame of the machine.

The fibers in the mat S are combed therefrom by a rotating lickerin 35,which is secured to a shaft 36 to rotate therewith. Shaft 36 isjournaled at opposite ends in side plates 37, which constitute sides ofa housing that is mounted on top of the frame of the machine andfastened thereto.

In operation, the stock passes between the feed rolls 22 and 24, overthe nose of the feed plate 26;, into the nip between the lickerin andprimary and secondary work bars 38 and 39 secured in the block 26.

The lickerin which is enclosed around most of itsperiphery by a guard43, is driven at high speed by a motor 40 (FIG. 1) which is mounted on aplate 41 supported by a bracket 42 at one side of the base of themachine. The motor drives the shaft 36, on which the lickerin ismounted, through a belt 44, and pulleys 45 and 46, pulley 45 beingsecured to the armature shaft of the motor 40, and pulley 46 beingsecured to the shaft 36.

The feed rolls 22 and 24 are driven by a variable speed motor-reducerunit 50 through a drive chain 52, a driver sprocket 53, and a drivensprocket 54. The driven sprocket 54 is mounted on the shaft 57; and thisshaft is geared to the shaft 58 on which the feed roll 22 is mounted.

Fibers are doffed from the lickerin into a venturishaped air duct 60,which is housed with the lickerin between the side plates 37, and whichcommunicates at one end through a port 62 (FIG. 2) with the pressurechamber or plenum 30. The fixed plate 63, which with the plate 27 boundsthe port or duct 62, has an arcuate upper surface, that serves as asmooth curved surface over which air may flow from the plenum chamber 30into duct 60. The reversely curved end 64 of the guard 43 for thelickerin forms the other side of the mouth of the venturi 60. Thisreversely turned curved lower edge of the guard also serves as a doffingbar to separate the fibers picked up by the lickerin from the boundlayer of air around the high speed lickerin.

The air system of the machine is a closed, recirculating system likethat disclosed in the Buresh and Langdon U. S. Pat. No. 2,700,188.Circulation in this system is produced by a blower or fan 65 (FIG. 1)which is mounted within the base of the machine. This blower or fan isdriven by a motor 66, also mounted in the base of the machine, through apulley 67, belt 68, and pulley 69. The pulley 67 is secured to thearmature shaft of the motor 66; and the pulley 69 is secured to theshaft 70 on which the fan is mounted. The inlet side of the fan connectswith a suction plenum of chamber 72 in the base of the machine; and theoutlet side of the fan communicates with a vertical duct 74 which isformed between the left-hand wall 76 of the frame, as seen in FIG. 1,and a partition in the base. The duct 74 communicates at its upper endwith the pressure plenum or chamber 30.

The venturi tube or duct 60 extends at its lower end through an openingin the cover plate 80 of the base of the machine and opens into asuction chamber 82 in a housing 89 (FIG. 3) in the base of the machine.This housing is formed by the side plates 87 and 88, the cross beams and91, and the bottom panel 92. The venturi tube extends the full width ofthe chamber 82 and its mouth 81 opens into that chamber.

Mounted in the chamber 82 to move transversely across the chamber belowthe mouth 81 of the tube 60 is an endless foraminous belt 84 (FIG. 2).

This belt, which is made of a foraminous material such as Fourdrinierwire belt commonly used on paper machines, passes around a drive pulley85 (FIGS. 3 and 4) and a take-up pulley 86. These pulleys are joumaledat opposite ends in parallelism to one another in side plates 87 and 88of the suction chamber 82.

Openings 94 and 95 (FIG. 2) at opposite sides of chamber 82 communicatewith the chambers 96 and 97, respectively, which in turn communicatethrough openings 98 and 99 in the horizontal partition plate 100 withthe suction plenum or chamber 72, in which the fan 65 operates.

The top side of the condenser conveyor belt 84 is enclosed by seals andan adjustable clear plastic cover (FIG. 3), and a seal roll 106 carriedby the plates 87 and 88. The seal roll 106 is free to travel vertically.It bears directly on the web being formed.

The housing 89 for the belt 84 is pivotally mounted on a shaft or stud110 (FIGS. 2 and 3) which extends upwardly from the top plate 100 of thebase of the machine. Through manual pivotal adjustment, the direction oftravel of the belt 84 can be inclined at different angles to the mouth81 of the duct 60 to control the width of the web formed in the machine.

The fibers of the raw wood pulp stock are combed from the stock sheet Sby the rotating lickerin 35, and are doffed from the lickerin bycentrifugal force, and by the air stream flowing from the pressurechamber 30 through mouth 62 into duct 60. These fibers are carriedthrough the venturi 60 into the chamber 82 and deposited on theforaminous belt 84, while the air, in which they are conveyed to thebelt, passes through the belt, the chambers 96 and 97, the ports 98 and99 to the suction chamber 72, and thence to the suction fan 65, and isreturned to the pressure chamber 30 through the duct 74.

The housing 89 for the condenser belt 84 is supported for its pivotaladjustment about the stud l 10 by castors or rollers 112, (FIGS. 1 and3), which ride on the top of the suction chamber 72. Bellows (FIGS. 1and 4) sealingly connect this chamber with the inside walls 102 and 103of the chambers 96 and 97.

The mat forming conveyor 84 moves diagonally crosswise through thefluffing machine frame at such an angle that the fluff feed slot 81,which is of narrow width but considerably longer than the width of theconveyor belt 84, effectively covers the width of the belt or someportion of this width depending on the angle included between the axisof rotation of the lickerin and the centerline of the conveyor 84. Theangular position of the conveyor may be adjusted manually, or, ifdesired, automatically.

By changing the angular position of the condenser belt 84 to the mouth81 of duct 60, the width of the web deposited on the belt can be varied,as will be seen, for instance, by comparison of FIGS. 4 and 5. FIG. 4shows the conveyor 84 adjusted so that a narrow web W between dottedlines A is formed; while FIG. 5 shows the condenser 84 adjusted to forma web W, having side edges B, as wide as the conveyor belt 84 itself.Obviously the conveyor belt is run at a higher speed where a web W isbeing formed than when a web W is being produced, assuming that the twowebs are of equal thickness. Obviously, too, the width of web W is lessthan the width of web that would be formed were the condenser of thesame width as slot 81 and lickerin 35. It follows, then, that to form agiven thickness of web, the condenser 84 should be moved faster in themachine of this invention than on a conventional machine when thecondenser and the web formed thereon are of the same width as thelickerin. With the machine of this invention, then narrow width webs canbe formed faster than on conventional machines having the same widthlickerin.

The raw wood pulp stock is similar to an ink blotter but thicker andharder. The fibers deposited on the foraminous belt 84 form a continuousdiagonally shingled web.

In some instances it may be desirable not to recirculate the air in themachine. This can be done by conducting the discharge from the fan 65 toa suitable remote bag collector, and by providing a slot (FIG. 2) andcover plate 122 for entry into chamber 30 of non-recirculated air. Thus,it is possible to adapt random fiber web machines, which have alreadybeen built, to practice the present invention by eliminating the fan 65and connecting ports 98 and 99 to a remote vacuum source, for instance.Alternatively it is possible to practice the present invention on randomfiber machines, which have already been built, by remotely locating thelower section of the machine shown in FIG.

4 including the conveyor or condenser and the fan system, and connectingto duct 60 just below the doffer bar 64 an elongate duct which wouldtransport the already fiuffed fiber to the remotely located lowersection where the mouth of the elongate duct would perform the functionof the mouth 81. The width of this elongate duct and its mouth would, ofcourse, correspond to the width of the web which it was desired toproduce. To prevent the fibers from flowing just down the centralportion of the width of this elongate duct it would preferably bepartitioned off across its width to provide several discrete, relativelynarrow, streams carrying fibers.

While the invention has been described in connection with specificembodiments thereof and uses therefor, it will be understood that it iscapable of further modification; and this application is intended tocover any modifications and uses of the invention that come within thescope of the invention or the limits of the appended claims. Having thusdescribed my invention, what I claim is:

l. A machine for forming a fiber web, comprising a rotary lickerin,

means for rotating the lickerin,

means feeding a fiber mat to said lickerin so that the lickerin in itsrotation combs fibers from the mat,

means directing a stream of air past said lickerin to cause fibers to bedoffed from said lickerin by centrifugal force and by said air stream,

a duct into which the fibers are doffed and through which said airstream flows to convey the doffed fibers through said duct,

a movable foraminous condenser,

said duct having a discharge opening for delivering fibers from saidduct onto said condenser,

said opening having parallel straight sides and being longer than thewidth of said condenser, and

means mounting said condenser pivotally whereby the angle of its travelmay be adjusted relative to the longitudinal direction of said dischargeopening to change the angle of travel of the condenser to vary the widthof the web formed on the condenser by fibers deposited thereon.

2. A machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein said discharge opening is ofuniform width from end to end, said condenser is an endless foraminousbelt, and the adjustment of the angle of travel of .said belt isrelative to the longitudinal direction of said discharge opening andabout an axis intersecting said discharge opening intermediate the endsthereof.

3. A machine for forming a fiber web comprising a frame,

a rotary lickerin rotatably mounted on said frame,

means for feeding a fiber mat to said lickerin so that the lickerin inits rotation combs fibers from the mat,

means for driving the lickerin at high speed,

means, including a pressure chamber, for directing an air stream pastsaid lickerin to doff fibers from the lickerin by centrifugal force andthe action of said air stream,

a duct into which the air and doffed fibers flow and having a mouththrough which the air and fibers are discharged,

said mouth having parallel sides,

an endless foraminous belt mounted to receive fibers discharged by saidmouth, said belt having a width less than the length of said mouth,

a housing in which said belt is movably mounted, and

means for sucking the air and fibers from said duct and its mouth ontosaid belt comprising a suction fan mounted in a chamber in said frame,and ports operatively connecting the suction side of said fan withopposed sides of said housing,

and a second duct connecting the pressure side of said fan with saidpressure chamber,

means for pivotally mounting said housing on said frame for angularadjustment thereon to change the direction of travel of said beltrelative to the length of said mouth to control the width of the web offibers laid down on said belt.

4. A machine for forming a fiber web comprising a frame,

a rotary lickerin rotatably mounted on said frame,

means for feeding a fiber mat to said lickerin so that the lickerin inits rotation combs fibers from the mat,

means for driving the lickerin at high speed,

means, including a pressure chamber, for directing an air stream pastsaid lickerin to doff fibers from the lickerin by centrifugal force andaction of said air stream,

a duct into which the air and doffed fibers flow and having a mouththrough which the air and fibers are discharged,

an endless foraminous belt mounted to receive fibers discharged by saidmouth,

said mouth being narrow widthwise and being longer than the width ofsaid belt,

a housing in which said belt is movably mounted, and

means for sucking the air and fibers from said duct and its mouth ontosaid belt and for supplying air under pressure to said pressure chamber,

means for pivotally mounting said housing on said frame for adjustmentabout an axis perpendicular to the direction of travel of said belt tochange the direction of travel of said belt relative to said mouth tocontrol the width of the web of fibers laid down on said belt.

5. Apparatus for forming a fiber web comprising a frame,

a rotary lickerin rotatably mounted on said frame,

means for feeding a fiber mat to said lickerin so that the lickerin inits rotation combs fibers from the mat,

means for driving the lickerin at high speed,

means, including a pressure chamber, for directing an air stream pastsaid lickerin to doff fibers from the lickerin by centrifugal force andaction of said air stream,

a duct into which the air and doffed fibers flow and having a mouththrough which the air and fibers are discharged,

an endless foraminous belt mounted to receive fibers discharged by saidmouth,

said mouth being narrow widthwise and longer than the width of saidbelt,

means for sucking the air and fibers from said duct and its mouth ontosaid belt and for supplying air under pressure to said pressure chamber,and

a housing in which said belt is movably mounted, and

means for pivotally mounting said housing on said frame for angularadjustment thereon to change the direction of travel of said beltrelative to said mouth to control the width of the web of fibers laiddown on said belt.

i 0 i 4 l

1. A machine for forming a fiber web, comprising a rotary lickerin,means for rotating the lickerin, means feeding a fiber mat to saidlickerin so that the lickerin in its rotatioN combs fibers from the mat,means directing a stream of air past said lickerin to cause fibers to bedoffed from said lickerin by centrifugal force and by said air stream, aduct into which the fibers are doffed and through which said air streamflows to convey the doffed fibers through said duct, a movableforaminous condenser, said duct having a discharge opening fordelivering fibers from said duct onto said condenser, said openinghaving parallel straight sides and being longer than the width of saidcondenser, and means mounting said condenser pivotally whereby the angleof its travel may be adjusted relative to the longitudinal direction ofsaid discharge opening to change the angle of travel of the condenser tovary the width of the web formed on the condenser by fibers depositedthereon.
 2. A machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein said dischargeopening is of uniform width from end to end, said condenser is anendless foraminous belt, and the adjustment of the angle of travel ofsaid belt is relative to the longitudinal direction of said dischargeopening and about an axis intersecting said discharge openingintermediate the ends thereof.
 3. A machine for forming a fiber webcomprising a frame, a rotary lickerin rotatably mounted on said frame,means for feeding a fiber mat to said lickerin so that the lickerin inits rotation combs fibers from the mat, means for driving the lickerinat high speed, means, including a pressure chamber, for directing an airstream past said lickerin to doff fibers from the lickerin bycentrifugal force and the action of said air stream, a duct into whichthe air and doffed fibers flow and having a mouth through which the airand fibers are discharged, said mouth having parallel sides, an endlessforaminous belt mounted to receive fibers discharged by said mouth, saidbelt having a width less than the length of said mouth, a housing inwhich said belt is movably mounted, and means for sucking the air andfibers from said duct and its mouth onto said belt comprising a suctionfan mounted in a chamber in said frame, and ports operatively connectingthe suction side of said fan with opposed sides of said housing, and asecond duct connecting the pressure side of said fan with said pressurechamber, means for pivotally mounting said housing on said frame forangular adjustment thereon to change the direction of travel of saidbelt relative to the length of said mouth to control the width of theweb of fibers laid down on said belt.
 4. A machine for forming a fiberweb comprising a frame, a rotary lickerin rotatably mounted on saidframe, means for feeding a fiber mat to said lickerin so that thelickerin in its rotation combs fibers from the mat, means for drivingthe lickerin at high speed, means, including a pressure chamber, fordirecting an air stream past said lickerin to doff fibers from thelickerin by centrifugal force and action of said air stream, a duct intowhich the air and doffed fibers flow and having a mouth through whichthe air and fibers are discharged, an endless foraminous belt mounted toreceive fibers discharged by said mouth, said mouth being narrowwidthwise and being longer than the width of said belt, a housing inwhich said belt is movably mounted, and means for sucking the air andfibers from said duct and its mouth onto said belt and for supplying airunder pressure to said pressure chamber, means for pivotally mountingsaid housing on said frame for adjustment about an axis perpendicular tothe direction of travel of said belt to change the direction of travelof said belt relative to said mouth to control the width of the web offibers laid down on said belt.
 5. Apparatus for forming a fiber webcomprising a frame, a rotary lickerin rotatably mounted on said frame,means for feeding a fiber mat to said lickerin so that the lickerin iNits rotation combs fibers from the mat, means for driving the lickerinat high speed, means, including a pressure chamber, for directing an airstream past said lickerin to doff fibers from the lickerin bycentrifugal force and action of said air stream, a duct into which theair and doffed fibers flow and having a mouth through which the air andfibers are discharged, an endless foraminous belt mounted to receivefibers discharged by said mouth, said mouth being narrow widthwise andlonger than the width of said belt, means for sucking the air and fibersfrom said duct and its mouth onto said belt and for supplying air underpressure to said pressure chamber, and a housing in which said belt ismovably mounted, and means for pivotally mounting said housing on saidframe for angular adjustment thereon to change the direction of travelof said belt relative to said mouth to control the width of the web offibers laid down on said belt.